africa

africa - Transcript

Early Civilizations in Africa
Adler Chapter 20 Extraordinary Panorama Variety in Geography Early Civilizations contact with Rome and North Africa

Geographic Considerations
North Mediterranean access to tradecoastal mountains land for agriculture q East Rift Valley some mountainsIndian Ocean q West grasslands and some rainforest along the Niger river q Central equatorial Congo only real rainforest q South high plateau temperate climateq

African Civilization South of Egypt
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Many ideas in Egypt may have come from south agri and pyramids Kush similar to Mesopotamia Khartoum was a major trading center 7th cen BCE Capitol Meroe
Rome received ivory gold ebony in addition to food Herodotus People were tall and beautiful

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Axum took over 350CE future Ethiopia trade center Queen of Sheba converted and remained Christian

States of West Africa along the Niger River
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Ghana 5th cen CE based on gold trademiddlemen transport to Morocco also had
ivory ostrich feathers and leather

lived in splendor at capital
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Mali 600 1200 CE Atlantic to interiorconverted to Islam Mansa Musa p 232 went to Meccadepressed the gold market Gold Salt and slaves tax key to wealth

area still Muslim Arabic language unifying force

South African Civilizations Zimbabwe on the Zambezi River
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located on the grasslands between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers 1871 German explorer Karl Mauch found the remains of a powerful and prosperous civilization city 10 000 wall of cement and stone 38 feet high found ornaments of gold copper porcelain from China wealth source tax on cattle and gold trade
German Mauch did not give credit to Africans prejudice historians recognize and give credit to Africans p 234

General Comments on African Civilizations
Were varied like the geography q trade centers were important esp in east with India and No Africa with the Med region q Islam dominated in north Ethiopia was isolated q Islam helped to unite N Africa same language q Historians continue to learn more
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